This design by Kay Unger has many features a flattering features with lots of creative options.  It features a pieced bodice, which has the appearance of overlapping woven bands.  I could envision in so many color-blocked variations.  The skirt is a narrow pencil style, and the overall silhouette is very sleek … I hadn’t done a Vogue pattern in a fairly long time, and I wasn’t very sure if the fit was going to work.  So before invested any of my pricey fabrics in something like this, I would need to understand how it all fit together.

This post addresses my “wearable muslin” project for this pattern. I decided to pursue a wearable muslin with a 100% polyester stretch sateen that I purchased from FFC – I didn’t really like this fabric upon arrival, so I decided to put it to some kind of use.

While I’m not particularly timid regarding altering patterns, I really did not want to deal with taking anything out of the upper bodice – I took my usual ½” out below the bust, above the waist. The pattern itself has many, many pieces. I cut a size 12 on top, and a size 14 on bottom, grading at the waist. This sizing was based upon the flat pattern measurements.

For the assembly, it wasn’t clear to me how all of the pieces would fit together, so I pinned them to my form to get an idea of the fit and to sanity check the instructions and order of construction. Overall, everything seemed to fit together, and the instructions made sense.

The most challenging aspect of this project is the piecing of the bodice. Not because the piecing was difficult, but because of the fabric and how it pressed out (and held shape). The fabric was very fussy with heat, and the seam allowances (5/8”) made it more difficult than it needed to be. If I were to make this again, I would use ¼” seam allowance to piece the bodice.

I also didn’t like the finishing of the neckline keyhole (with hand-stitch in place). It was really difficult with this fabric to make it invisible. I would change this in a future effort as well – likely with a full facing across the upper portion of the bodice.

The fit was no surprise, and consistent with Vogue’s size 12. There were no surprises with this pattern, and I encountered no problems with it. This one qualifies as a “highly recommend”, but I would definitely change the seam allowances on the pieced bodice to ¼”.